[cakedude501]

     i have been looking to get a new headphone or headset to use for FPS/MMORPG gaming and listening to music on occasion.  I know that if I went for a pair of headphones, which i have seen multiple times be the preferred option, that I would need a  modmic.  I am looking for headphones that are over ear.
 
i have so far looked at:
headsets
 
Steelseries 9H (110 USD)
 
Sennheiser PC 350 SE (discontinued), I found it for about 150 USD on amazon. 
 
headphones
 
Audio Technica ATH - AD700X (130 USD)
 
Audio Technica ATH - MTH40X (99 USD)
 
AKG Pro Audio K271 MKII (110 USD)
 
Sennheiser HD 518 (80 USD)
 
Sennheiser HD 380 PRO (105 USD)
 
I will admit that i do not have much along the lines of experience with headphones and headsets.  I came here hoping for some help finding and deciding on what headphones or headsets I should try.  If there is a big performance increase when i buy a 150 USD dollar headphone, I would probably be willing to get it and then a modmic later.  Thanks in advance for the help.
(Also, the reason why i stated that it was 150 for the 350 SE is because that is the cheapest authorized retailer, and Sennheiser's warranty states that it has to be from an authorized retailer or else the warranty is void.) 

 

[cel4145]

Open headphones are almost always a better choice than closed headphones for FPS because of their bigger soundstage which gives you better positional audio. So you could choose an open headphone that best suits your setup (some need an amp, do you have one?) and your musical listening tastes.

See this headphone gaming guide. Reviews of lots of headphones: http://www.head-fi.org/t/534479/mad-lust-envys-headphone-gaming-guide-update-1-4-2015-beyerdynamic-t70-added

Also look into the Sennheiser HD558. It will be similar to the HD598 for gaming.

 

[cakedude501]

Open headphones are almost always a better choice than closed headphones for FPS because of their bigger soundstage which gives you better positional audio. So you could choose an open headphone that best suits your setup (some need an amp, do you have one?) and your musical listening tastes.

See this headphone gaming guide. Reviews of lots of headphones: http://www.head-fi.org/t/534479/mad-lust-envys-headphone-gaming-guide-update-1-4-2015-beyerdynamic-t70-added

Also look into the Sennheiser HD558. It will be similar to the HD598 for gaming.

I do not have an amp at the moment, and would likely be something i get after I have a better sound card.  Although, there is a bundle on Amazon for the MTH40X that is the headphones and a portable amp.  I will pay more attention to  the open headphones for the positional audio.

 

[ZapX629]

 
I do not have an amp at the moment, and would likely be something i get after I have a better sound card.  Although, there is a bundle on Amazon for the MTH40X that is the headphones and a portable amp.  I will pay more attention to  the open headphones for the positional audio.

You could also look at the AD900X. You should be able to find it under $150 these days. Then you can just get a cheap mic for it. 

 

[cakedude501]

There is one thing that is worrying me, when i looked on Amazon, i just realize that the sellers are not under the authorized dealer on Audio Technica's website, and I ran into the same issue with Sennheiser.  If it is fulfille dby Amazon, does it count as amazon being the retailer or would the warranty still be void? 

 

[ZapX629]

  There is one thing that is worrying me, when i looked on Amazon, i just realize that the sellers are not under the authorized dealer on Audio Technica's website, and I ran into the same issue with Sennheiser.  If it is fulfille dby Amazon, does it count as amazon being the retailer or would the warranty still be void? 

If it's fulfilled by Amazon, Amazon will refund and replace it if it breaks. 

 

[Music Alchemist]

The M40x sounds pretty closed-in -- not much soundstage. On top of that, I hated its overall sound, though others like it.
 
I'm getting a Philips SHP9500 in a few days. It's an open headphone that only costs around $80, so it could be a good solution for you. I don't do PC gaming, but I'll let you know how it sounds with music.
 
Most new headphone purchases on Amazon can be returned within 30 days for any reason. They sometimes even cover return shipping.

 

[cakedude501]

The problem though is that the 2 year manufacturer warranty could be void if it is bought from a "non-authorized" retailer. That is what I was wondering about, I wan to be able to send it back if it breaks 3 or 4 months in to me having it. I have been looking at the HD 558 and the ATH AD 700X, and am so far leaning towards the 700X, but the issue I am running into is that i could break headphones pretty easy if I do something really clumsy, or if they break from continuous use. I like that I can send it back to Amazon within a month, but a month is not a year. I checked the warranty info, and the sellers that amazon is fulfilling for the headphones are not on the authorized retailer list, i do not know why, but it is a thing.

 

[ZapX629]

The problem though is that the 2 year manufacturer warranty could be void if it is bought from a "non-authorized" retailer. That is what I was wondering about, I wan to be able to send it back if it breaks 3 or 4 months in to me having it. I have been looking at the HD 558 and the ATH AD 700X, and am so far leaning towards the 700X, but the issue I am running into is that i could break headphones pretty easy if I do something really clumsy, or if they break from continuous use. I like that I can send it back to Amazon within a month, but a month is not a year. I checked the warranty info, and the sellers that amazon is fulfilling for the headphones are not on the authorized retailer list, i do not know why, but it is a thing.

Amazon will fulfill it anytime after it breaks, not just a month. If it really bothers you that much, here's a list of authorized dealers in the US http://www.audio-technica.com/cms/site/1e22eec97c088a8b/ (Amazon is on there.)
 
As long as it has the warranty card, it should be fine, at least in my experience. 

 

[Music Alchemist]

The problem though is that the 2 year manufacturer warranty could be void if it is bought from a "non-authorized" retailer. That is what I was wondering about, I wan to be able to send it back if it breaks 3 or 4 months in to me having it. I have been looking at the HD 558 and the ATH AD 700X, and am so far leaning towards the 700X, but the issue I am running into is that i could break headphones pretty easy if I do something really clumsy, or if they break from continuous use. I like that I can send it back to Amazon within a month, but a month is not a year. I checked the warranty info, and the sellers that amazon is fulfilling for the headphones are not on the authorized retailer list, i do not know why, but it is a thing.

 
Yeah, the HD 558 sounds very good for the price, but isn't exactly built like a tank. Never heard the other one.
 
I don't think the warranty relies on whether you bought from an authorized dealer, but when in doubt, contact the manufacturer!

 

[cakedude501]

     This is what I found when it comes to authorized retailers
http://en-us.sennheiser.com/service-support-services-warranty-conditions
"In order to be considered eligible for repair or replacement under warranty, included with the repair item(s) must be a valid bill of sale (please see below for more information) from an authorized Sennheiser retailer"
http://www.audio-technica.com/cgi-bin/warranty/search.pl
"Select Audio-Technica brand products purchased in the U.S.A. from an authorized Audio-Technica (A.T.U.S.) dealer are warranted for two years from date of purchase by A.T.U.S. to be free of defects in materials and workmanship"
 
Both of these quotes are from the warranty conditions.  I am going to try contacting the manufacturer to find out more.